Jean Grand-Maître

Jean Grand-Maître is one of the most renowned Canadian choreographers of his generation. Born in the Outaouais region in 1963, Jean Grand-Maître studied modern dance at York University in Toronto before moving to Montreal, where he attended the École supérieure de ballet du Québec (ESBQ) from 1982 to 1986.

Upon completion of his training, Grand-Maître began his career as a performer. He danced with the Théâtre Ballet du Canada and Ballet British Columbia.

Attracted more to creation than to a career as a performer, he honed his choreographic craft by taking part in numerous choreographic workshops across the country. In 1994, the creation of the ballet Frames of mind for the National Ballet of Canada propelled him onto the international stage. Since then, his work has been sought after by some of the world's leading companies: the Stuttgart Ballet, La Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Bavarian National Ballet and the Norwegian National Ballet.

Ballet Ecclesia - Bayerisches Staatsballett 1996 Munich

In 2002, he accepted the position of Artistic Director of Alberta Ballet, and led the company with great success for 20 years. For the Alberta company, he created a series of narrative ballets including Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Mozart's Requiem and Carmen. In 2007, he launched a series of blockbuster choreographic portraits inspired by the musical universe of legendary singers, created in close collaboration with Joni Mitchell, Elton John, K. D. Lang, Sarah McLachlan, The Tragically Hip and the David Bowie Foundation.

In 2022, he left the direction of Alberta Ballet to share his vast experience with Canadian schools including the Alberta Ballet School, Ottawa's School of Dance and, more recently, the École supérieure de ballet du Québec. He also began to paint, a new vocation that fascinated him intensely.

Insatiably curious and a jack-of-all-trades, Grand-Maître has also lent his talent to multiple artistic forms. He choreographed the musical comedy Demain matin, Montréal m'attend, staged the opera Roméo et Juliette, and orchestrated large-scale shows such as the Montreal 350th anniversary parade, and the opening and closing ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympic Games. He also acted as consultant for the closing ceremonies of the Sochi Olympic Games.

In 2019, he was made a member of the Order of Canada.

Discover the video Jean Grand-Maître Retires from Alberta Ballet